As many of you know, with next month's issue we pay tribute to our
annual Dealer of the Year. Photo Trade News has been honoring a
Dealer of the Year for over 30 years now and our selection for 2001
is Ed Buchbinder and Alkit Camera of Manhattan, New York.

Before I tell you a little about the how and why we reached this
year's decision, I thought I should chat a little about why we
created the Dealer of the Year award in the first place.

First off, as editor of this publication for the last eight
years, it's easy to get wrapped up and taken away by the incredible
leaps in technology we've all been witness to over the last ten
years. Innovation is a wonderful thing and certainly no industry
has been treated to more of that than the "imaging industry."
Keeping pace with "the latest" has turned into quite a job when
"the latest" seems to last a little over a week.

We have always been a technology/product-driven publication so
getting lost in CCDs and Megapixels has been difficult to avoid.
After all, can anyone really fathom a 2 Megapixel digital camera
for close to $200 when you consider where we were just a few years
ago?

That being said, what's easy to lose sight of on occasion is the
magic that happens at retailevery dayin this industry. The
herculean task true "photo" retailers are faced with and the
remarkable job those that are flourishing have done.

Bottom line — digital is exploding today due to the
efforts of these guys over the last 6 or 7 years. Without their
initial hand-holding, guidance, and guile, not to mention the
margin pounding many had to take, digital imaging's growth
stagnates dramatically.

Depending on which survey you throw your money at, we are
hearing that 25% of all U.S. households will own a digital camera
by the end of next year. You think the big CE and/or Computer Super
Store chains are responsible for that figure? Think again. It's the
knowledge and service provided by the traditional folks that has
helped drive digital to the previously unthinkable heights it has
hit today.

That perfect segue would bring us to Ed Buchbinder and the
entire Alkit Camera team. Why Alkit? Well, glad you asked.

What started out as a modest family camera shop back in 1934 has
grown way beyond its humble beginnings. Under the leadership of
Alkit's owner Ed Buchbinder, Alkit now operates a pro stock house,
equipment rental department, digital imaging studio and gallery,
corporate & industrial sales department, Internet sales
division, and five retail stores.

Seizing opportunity yet again, a new, state-of-the art Digital
Demonstration Area was installed in Alkit Pro in October 2001. This
new area features hands-on demonstrations where customers are able
to see a variety of digital imaging workflows, whether they shoot
film or digital. The area has a tabletop shooting setup with a
variety of digital cameras, scanners, Mac workstations, and a large
format printer. The area is also networked to a Fuji Frontier 390,
showing the cost-effective output options available on a digital
minilab.
The end result of all this? Folks are leaving Alkit Pro with a
remarkably thorough understanding of what digital imaging is and
what it can do for them.

Their recent growth has been rapid as four satellite locations
were opened throughout Manhattan between 1997 and 2000, at 820
Third Avenue (50th St), 830 7th Avenue (53rd St), 466 Lexington
Avenue (45th St), and 498 7th Avenue (37th St), in the center of
the Garment District.

It's a wonderful story and one you'll get the chance to read all
about next month in Photo Trade News.